Fantastical
by V4Valentine
Summary: The Ouran Host Club is performing a play, with the Hitachiin twins as the romantic leads. When something goes wrong on opening night, they along with Haruhi will dive into the world of the unknown in a daring rescue and put an end to an evil force. When their lives are on the line, the twins may develop something that was once only an act. HikaruxKaoru romance, yaoi relationship.
1. A Performance

**It's been a while since I've tried to write something fanfiction related, but I got a request from a friend and thought of something really cool with what I was given, so I'll see where this goes.**

**I have watched the Host Club a few times and love the show, but I'm more of a fantasy writer so there's going to be some fantasy elements take place early on. It's not really an AU, but bear with me. **

**The goal of this fiction was to make a twins romance story, and after doing some reading on other romance fics, I think I'm aware of elements I like and elements I want to avoid. I'll do my best to make this more realistic in terms of relationship development, and also not overly sappy.**

**Just some warnings: as I said, this IS a HikaruxKaoru story so if that bothers you, than steer yourself away. I also don't own Ouran Host Club or any of its characters. There will be a number of OCs later, some will play major parts but very little of the story will be directly about them. It will make more sense when I get to that part of the story.**

**Without any further delay, enjoy the story.**

* * *

A Performance

The Host Club… where handsome boys with too much time on their hands entertain and charm girls, who also have too much time on their hands. Not long ago, the club received a new member, Haruhi Fujioka. Unknown to the female guests of which the club would entertain, Haruhi is actually a woman; it's thanks to the male uniform and androgynous hairstyle that she is able to take up the guise. She takes the role of a host in order to pay off her expensive debt to which she owes the club for breaking a lavish vase on the day she met them. Over time she has come to enjoy the club and it's members as close friends despite their sometimes overbearing personalities. Two of the members that she has formed the closest friendships with are the Hitachiin twins, Hikaru and Kaoru.

Hikaru Hitachiin, the _"seme"…_ the dominant twin, older yet immature and more a prankster. His brother is the closest person to him, and they thrive on each other for support. Kaoru Hitachiin, the_ "uke"_… the submissive twin, younger but more down to earth and understanding. More open to branching out and building relationships with people beyond his brother. As hosts, it is their combined responsibility to appease the adoration of their female clients who find pleasure in the forbidden romance between a pair of devilish and boyish twins, thus their "gimmick" is just that. When before their guests, they showcase their secret romance and fabricate tales of their intimacy in bed.

In reality, their romance was nothing more than the show they placed for the girls that requested their service. Neither minded the ploy, in fact both enjoyed it to a degree. It reminded the twins that regardless of the overdramatic and grandiose nature, that they were still as close as could be, and would forever remain each other's best friend.

On a day like any other, the after school activities of the host club began and ended as usual. Once the club's clients left, however, a meeting was drawn. Tamaki, leader of the club, spoke to the rest.

"Alrighty everyone! We have big plans to prepare for." He spoke with his usual exaggerated tone and extraneous gestures.

Knowing the "king," this was likely bad news. A wave of dread hit Haruhi as she could only assume the worst.

"Three weeks from today, we are going to hold a play for our guests!" the bomb dropped.

"A play!?" the girl sighed.

"Yes, a magnificent play of bravery, chivalry, knighthood and love! We perform to bring joy to the hearts of every girl in the school."

"That and ticket sales would benefit the club greatly." Kyoya added, pushing up his glasses.

A number of unappealing scenarios played in Haruhi's mind in the span of a second before she abruptly stood and moved for the door, "Whatever role you're planning on pushing onto me, like your princess or your bride… I'm not doing it." Her tone was nonchalant and calm, yet her words were forceful.

"Actually, I was going to have you play the knight." Tamaki gave a confident smile. "After all if I made you the princess, people might start to catch on that you aren't a man. I would just die if my precious little girl was discovered and all the boys in the school would try and steal your heart from me!"

"You can't steal something that was never yours." She remarked quietly, though Tamaki didn't seem to hear.

"The romance written into the script is actually meant for Hikaru and Kaoru." Kyoya shared.

The twins looked at one another with confused expressions.

"Why us?" they shrugged.

"Since we want to be discreet with my darling girl," Tamaki continued, "the two of you fit the part perfectly! It's a tale of two princes, both identical even though they have never met one another. When their eyes meet, they knew instantly that it was love! A revolutionary twist on _The Prince and The Pauper_!"

"Who wrote this script?" Haruhi asked.

**HIGH-POWER MOTOR**

"Oh-hohohohoho!"

"Ah, that explains it." The twins watched Renge rise from the floor with her trademark laugh.

"The prince, a man of glory and honor! Troubled by his lavish life seeks nothing more than freedom from his cage! The pauper, the humble man desires a life far from the streets where the food is delicious and the clothes are warm and comfortable. When they meet, the power of a kiss can grant them everything they wish for. It will move hearts, it will force tears… your audience will scream and shout for more!"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's not how that story goes." Haruhi muttered.

"Think of your fan base, boys, it will give them something fantastic to look forward too." Renge added.

Hikaru and Kaoru glanced at each other and shrugged again, "Fine with us."

"Yay! A play! What part will I play!?" Honey-senpai shouted.

"You and Mori-senpai will play the prince's advisors, Haruhi will play the prince's protector and knight, Kyoya will play the father of the pauper, Hikaru will be the prince, Kaoru will be the pauper, and I will be the glorious King Henry VIII!"

"Why not just make Haruhi the pauper?"

Almost instantly, Tamaki smacked his hand over the younger twin's mouth.

"Shh! We're not to insult Haruhi by giving her the part she plays in real life!" he whispered. Off in the room, there was a darkening aura around the girl.

"I'm still not interested in having any part in this. I'm a terrible actor anyway." She grumbled.

"Helping out with the play, would take out quite a chunk off your debt." Kyoya added.

Haruhi sighed, "Fine, but what are you going to do about the rest of the cast. There aren't enough of us for all the characters in that play."

"That's why we'll be hosting our tryouts for the next few days!"

It appeared the plan was already in motion. None of the hosts knew how exactly this play would turn out, but it was sure to be an eventful few weeks to say the least.

* * *

**That marks the end of the first chapter. I'm not entirely sure how long I plan to make this, but I know it will have some length to it.**

**Please leave a review if you like it, and I encourage any constructive criticism. Truth be told I really want to try writing something lengthy and with some original content to get feedback on my writing skills and story telling skills before I attempt my first novel. Consider this a bit of an experiment if you will.**


	2. A Brief Stumble

**Here is chapter 2. I plan to get all these early chapters out right away and get the ball rolling so you'll likely get the next chapter tomorrow, and possibly the 4****th**** after that. Once I get into the story I'm not sure what kind of schedule I'll have for this, though I want to make an effort to write at least some of it every day.**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran Host Club or any of its characters. This is a fan-made story.**

* * *

A Brief Stumble

Hikaru stared intensely into his brother's eyes, there lips inches apart. "Tom, I've learned just far apart our worlds truly are," he spoke with deep breaths.

"Edward!?" he gasped, feeling an arm grip tightly around his waist.

"I must tell you," his lips grew closer, "I want you to become a King with me." His eyes closed, leaning forward.

"CUT!" Renge shouted, "That was perfect you two!" she squealed, hearing the rest of the cast applaud.

The twins returned to the natural personalities, "thank you, thank you!" they bowed.

"What a couple of hams," Haruhi smirked, "They do this every day."

A week had passed since the Host Club began preparing for the play. The 3rd music room had already been outfitted with a practice stage complete with professional grade props, costumes, and scenery. A _small _investment… lousy rich people. There were even functional trap doors and fog machines for a **practice** stage. For the first few days Haruhi made a mental list of all the better things that could've been done with that kind of money.

The first few days were tryouts for the rest of the parts. A good chunk of the students that wanted to get involved were regulars of the twins, wanting to see them act out their scenes as much as possible, but Kyoya tried to avoid those girls to maximize sales of the twins paraphernalia he planned to sell like a full video of the play, and various photos of different scenes. All the female additions to the cast were customers of the Host Club for the other members, however. Haruhi secretly thanked this since it meant that none of the other hosts could try and pester her into dresses and swimsuits for their own amusement as Tamaki and the twins would frequently attempt. After all she had to keep her facade as a male student to stay in the club. It was a brief relief at the very least. A few of the girls would be playing other male parts, since only a small handful of boys showed up to the tryouts.

Once they had a full cast, the Host Club would take an hour after school for their normal club activities, followed by two hours of rehearsal after that. Many of their regular clientele were excited for the play, and Tamaki would butter up his regular's telling him about what beautiful queens they would make. Haruhi chuckled when he started this, seeing as King Henry VIII beheaded two of his wives.

"That's a wrap!" Renge said in English, "great work everyone, this play will the greatest thing since Shakespeare himself!"

"She sure is modest." Kaoru grinned towards his brother.

"More modest than usual at least." Hikaru laughed.

One by one the students left the room and made their way to their respective chauffeurs, Haruhi as the exception. The twins walked together, joking about Tamaki's overdramatic acting skills and laughing about the day's nuances like they always would. Something was off though…

Kaoru peeked around from left to right as his brother talked.

"Do you feel that?" he interrupted.

"The braincell's I lost from listening to Renge all day?"

"That too, but I got this weird chill just now."

"Need me to warm you up, brother?" Hikaru joked.

"I think the acting is getting to you." Kaoru stuck out his tongue; both of them chuckled. "Seriously though, it was the weirdest feeling." He shrugged it off as the twins stepped into the vehicle; it was probably nothing more than a breeze.

* * *

Another day went by as rehearsal began. The club's guests left for the evening, bar the few girls participating in the play, while other's trickled in one at a time. Renge started shouting directions through her microphone, her head getting bigger by the day.

"From the top!" she directed in English.

Practice started as the scenes proceeded from the beginning. Like the day before, Kaoru felt something strange, though he couldn't put his finger on it. At first he tried to ignore, but when it was his and Hikaru's first scene, things turned sour. The twins acted out the moment Prince Edward and Tom Canty met for the first time.

"Who-? You look just like I do." Kaoru was aghast.

"And you look as I do! Who are you?" Hikaru added.

"Tom…" a force seemed to smack Kaoru before he could finish his line, as he wobbled on his legs.

"Kaoru?" his brother noticed something was wrong.

Before he could get a response, his twin fell over, causing a stir among the group. "Kaoru!?" shouted a number of people in the room, but Hikaru was the loudest. He immediately kneeled to his brother's aid as others rushed to see what was wrong.

"Someone call an ambulance, he's running a fever!" Hikaru yelled before returning attention to his twin, "Kaoru? Kaoru can you hear me?"

"Did he faint!?" Haruhi had a worried look on her face.

"Kao-chan…" Honey-senpai whimpered, starting tears in his eyes.

The paramedics were swift to arrive; Kyoya had been on top of the situation instantly. Everyone had gathered to see the younger Hitachiin twin get carried into the ambulance; only the Host Club took the ride to the hospital with him, however. It was clear that rehearsal was cancelled. Hikaru maintained a look of worry; he had no idea what could've caused the collapse until he remembered his brother's words from the day before.

"On our way home yesterday he said he got this weird chill. He must've caught something." The twin frowned, "I wish I figured that out sooner."

"Don't worry, Hikaru." Haruhi comforted him, "He'll be fine."

"You don't think it could've been stress do you?" Tamaki pondered.

"Did he eat anything? Maybe he's hungry. I should've saved him a cake!" Honey started to cry a little.

"Mitsukuni." Mori-senpai rested his large palm on his cousin's shoulder and simply nodded in disagreement. Always a man a few words.

Kaoru was administered to a room with haste, and while the hosts waited patiently it didn't take long for a doctor to inform the group of his findings.

"Well, he's running a high fever at the moment, but nothing else seems to be wrong. He may have just been dehydrated, but we'll let him rest here for the evening."

There was a collective sigh of relief amidst the hosts.

"Is it alright if I spend the night with him?" Hikaru spoke, "I'm sure he could use the company."

"That should be fine. As I said, he should be fine so the rest of you are welcome to stay for a while if you want to speak with him. He's still asleep at the moment though. If you'll excuse me, I'll go inform your parents." With that, the doctor walked off.

"You guys should go home and relax, I can take care of my brother." Hikaru gave the others a smile.

"You sure?" Tamaki questioned.

"Yeah, I can take it from here."

"I expect to see you both tomorrow." Kyoya said with his typical grin. Always thinking about money as ususal.

The older of the Hitachiin twins waved the others goodbye, and sat next to his brother in the luxurious hospital room, that Kyoya made sure Kaoru was administered to. He sat for a while before his brother's eyes started to open.

"Ugh… what hit me?" he groaned.

"Not sure; you fainted at rehearsal." Hikaru placed his hand on Kaoru's forehead, "feels like your fever's going down."

"I had a fever? Where am I?"

"The hospital, bozo. We called an ambulance as soon as you fell over on stage."

"Damn, I feel like I got hit by a bus." He massaged his temples, "Oh I remember I think… we were acting out the meeting scene, and then all the sudden it felt like my legs went numb. It was like someone cast a spell on me or something, and then black."

"The doctor said you should be fine besides the fever. You were likely dehydrated or something."

"Were you worried about me, dear brother?" he giggled.

"No, getting rid of you couldn't be that easy or I would've been an only child a long time ago." Hikaru joked.

"Are mother and father here?"

"No, the doctor let them know that you fainted but were fine. He told them we would be staying here for the night."

"Oh you're staying too?" Kaoru wasn't particularly surprised his twin would stay at the hospital with him, but was happy to hear it nevertheless.

"Of course," Hikaru took his brother's hand in a comforting grip, "we're always together. I won't leave my best friend behind."

Kaoru smiled, "Thanks Hikaru."

* * *

**Chapter 2 is finished, short, simple, to the point. Nothing too spectacular in this one, but as I said, all this should be coming out fast so we'll get to some interesting things before the week is up.**

**Share your thoughts, if you please.**


	3. The Second Week

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran Host Club.**

* * *

The Second Week

Another week had passed since the fainting incident with Kaoru, and the younger twin seemed perfectly fine. Rehearsals had gone smooth since that day; with the day of the show growing near, the crew became more and more excited. Confidence was high, needless to say.

Hikaru had stepped out of the shower in this particular evening, joining his brother in their bedroom towel clad and slightly damp. He could see the back of his twin through the corner of his eye, sitting by the window on the easel. Watercolors wasn't something many knew that Kaoru got into, but it provided to be an excellent relaxer, and something for the red-head to do on his own once and a while. No matter how close the twins were, both were different people and had hobbies apart from each other. Looking beyond his twin's shoulder, Hikaru got a good peek at the current work, a castle sitting just above a forest. One thing he noticed was Kaoru's fondness for landscape paintings; they were simple, yet charming. On the corner of the room near the easal were a small handful of the paintings Kaoru had completed: a boat on the water, a large lake surrounded by trees, and a campfire in the woods were what he finished thus far.

"Looks like you're getting close to finishing this one." He complimented.

"I'm almost done with the castle, but I still have to finish the bottom of the forest."

"Looks good, can't wait to see it all finished."

"Me too, I really like the way the castle came out. I wasn't sure if I could do it."

Hikaru had changed into his sleepwear and laid down. "You coming to bed?"

"I'll be there soon."

"Don't stay up too late, I don't want to have to wake your cranky ass up in the morning." He laughed.

"Bite me." Kaoru stuck out his tongue.

"Haha, I think that gives me a brilliant idea for tomorrow."

"Eh?"

"You'll see." Hikaru winked.

* * *

Classes were as boring as always for the twins; club time couldn't come fast enough. Before they entered the room, however, Hikaru abrupty tugged his brother into the men's room.

"Hey! what are you—?"

"I'll show you." He said with a devilish wink.

Kaoru quickly caught on as soon as he saw the makeup. That explained why he found his brother sneaking out their parent's bathroom that morning.

They walked in just before their guests would start to arrive, waving. "Haruhi!" they shouted in unison.

"Oh there you two are, I was wondering…" her eyes found Kaoru's neck, "What is on your neck?" she pointed, clearly not amused.

"It's for our guests today." Kaoru winked.

"Though we should probably hide it a little more until we're ready to show it off." Hikaru said playing with his twin's collar.

Haruhi was about to say something but merely walked off once the guests started strolling in. The twins sat at their usual table by the window. Two of their regulars sat across from the pair, greeting them with smiles and some chocolates.

"Thank you, ladies. You're both too kind." Kaoru smiled.

Hikaru ate his second, "Yeah, they're delicious."

"You're welcome!"

"It was our pleasure."

"Hikaru, you should share them with me." Kaoru pouted.

"I'm sorry, Kaoru," Hikaru held his brother's chin up, "Here, let me give one to you…" he placed a chocolate gently on his brother's lips.

Kaoru ate the decadent chocolate with a blush, "Oh wow, these are wonderful. Thank you so much, ladies."

The girls were absolutely red in the face, and enjoying every moment of the show.

"Oh wow!" she squeaked.

"Are you girls excited for next week?" Hikaru asked.

"I can't wait to see you both on stage." One of the two said with a blush.

"Are rehearsals going well?"

"Really well so far." Kaoru ignore his fainting situation from the previous week.

"Though it can get a little stressful sometimes, Kaoru has spent more and more time painting lately."

"I didn't know you could paint, Kaoru."

"Not too often, but once in a while I like to pick up the brush. It's a great way to unwind." Kaoru stretched, making sure to put their plan into action and show off his neck.

"Ah, Kaoru!?" one of the girls gasped, seeing the mark. "Is that a—" she couldn't finish, her face was flush with red.

"Oh dear, it seems I really did leave a… _hickey_." He let the word marinate on his lips, making sure the girls could hear.

"Hikaru!? I told you to be gentle." Kaoru's expression was shy.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it… you just looked so beautiful while you painted. Then I needed to show you _my _way to unwind."

"Hikaru…"

There plan had worked almost too well, one of the girls nearly fell out of her seat in a faint, though she quickly caught herself at sat upright. The twins gave each other a brief smirk, without anyone else able to see, before facing the girls yet again.

"Oh wow," a voice spoke; a new girl had approached their table. "I should've come earlier." She was likely a first year, with a wide grin and a flushed face. Her black hair was tied in a vibrant red bow.

"I haven't seen you around here before, miss." Kaoru spoke politely.

"I heard about the play your club was going to hold, and that you two would be the leads. I just had to come by and see this place first hand! May I sit with you two?"

Hikaru fetched the young girl a chair to sit next to the other two women.

"So, I take it you'll come see us next week?" Kaoru said.

"I'm very excited actually. I'm such a fan of theatre, and when one of my classmates told me they was going to be a love story, I had to press for details. The idea seems so cute and romantic."

"It will be an experience to remember." The twins confidently declared.

* * *

**Short chapter, just wanted to have some fun with this one. I plan on posting the next one soon, and I'm expecting much much longer. I know these first few chapters are a little random, but some things are about to go down starting next time, so be prepared!**

**Thanks for reading.**


	4. Open The Door

**I am very excited about this chapter! So I really hope it turns out as good as I'm hoping. It's also a bit longer than the others, so that's a plus. I plan on another long one next, but after that, my updates are going to slow a bit. I really wanted to get the real plot started, so I've been burning through these opening bits. Once I post the next one I'm hoping for once or twice a week beyond that.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran Host Club.**

* * *

Open The Door

"Attention, everyone!" Renge shouted through her microphone. "Tonight is the big night, let's go out their and show everyone what we've practiced so far!"

Haruhi peeked from the curtains and saw the room filled with people; she felt the nerves flow through her and wished she took her opportunity to escape being on stage. This was certainly not her comfort zone, but Kyoya was sure to be happy with the turnout though.

One of the male actors, a first year named Souji, stepped out onto the stage as the narrator. "Welcome everyone, and thank you for coming! Tonight's performance is about two boys, one a royal prince, the other a poor pauper. When they meet for the first time, they will be surprised that they look the same as one another."

He continued his narration of the opening of they play, followed by the applause as the show began. Haruhi's part wouldn't come for a while, so she watched as Tamaki dazzled the crowd with his grand acting skills as the king, and the twins each acting out the story of their characters. Everything went perfectly, and Renge was off watching every movement and mouthing every word spoken with great enthusiasm.

The first act was nearing is close with the two boys finally meeting and changing clothes. Kaoru changed into the prince's feathered hat and royal cloak, while Hikaru remained hatless with a tattered shirt. The prince wanted freedom, and snuck out on his own only to be mistaken for the other boy, Tom. One of the extras playing a guard shoved him away.

"That's for disturbing the prince!" she shouted.

"But I am the prince!"

The extras all around laughed with Kyoya pushing through the crowd as Tom's father.

"What's the meaning of this?" he spoke sternly.

Haruhi had to admit, it was strange seeing Kyoya playing a character that was supposed to be a beggar and a pickpocket, but his natural sophistication gave the father a rather different kind of persona to him.

"I am the Prince of Wales!" Hikaru declared, "Who are you!?"

Kyoya firmly gripped the twin at the arm, tugging him forward. "I am John Canty, your father."

Kyoya struck Hikaru, before pulling him offstage; the blow was fake, of course. The actors were replaced with Kaoru in the royal attire, alone as he muttered, "Where did Edward go?"

That concluded the first act, giving the audience a small break.

"Wonderful!" Renge yelled, "Let's keep this up into the next act everyone. Let's be ready to go as soon as the break is over."

The second act began, taking turns telling each side of the story between the characters, it was during one of the scenes that Haruhi would have her introduction. Hikaru, as the prince dressed as the pauper was surrounded by thugs intending to hurt him for claiming he was the prince. Haruhi leaped onto the stage with her sword pointed towards the leader of the gang, and her heart pounding with nerves. "Unhand him!" she shouted, "Unless you would rather face me instead."

The thugs made their escape leaving just Haruhi and Hikaru on the stage.

"Thank you, kind sir." Hikaru spoke.

"It was my pleasure," she sheathed the sword, "Miles Hendon at your service." She gave a bow, feeling more comfortable on the stage.

It was at that moment, that things couldn't have gone more wrong. A roar of thunder and lightning so loud it interrupted auditorium, normally oblivious to the noise of weather. Not only did Haruhi jump nearly three feet into the air, but the lights all shut off instantly, leaving the room pitch black. The sound of unrest and worry filled the massive room as cast members and the audience alike started to question back and forth what was going on.

"Hey, watch it!" came from Kaoru off stage.

"Kaoru?" Hikaru asked.

So many voices were going off at the same time, it was difficult to tell what came from who.

"Calm down!"

"Someone, get a flashlight!"

"Haruhi!" That was definitely Tamaki.

"Mitsukuni?"

"Ah!" there was a crash from one side of the stage.

"Let go! Get off me!" Kaoru was shouting.

"What's going on?" Hikaru added.

"I think its this way!" Haruhi spoke, taking Hikaru's hand.

"What's happening over there?" they heard from Kyoya.

"Hikaru!"

A shot of cold flew down Hikaru's spine. He just knew that something was wrong.

"Kaoru!?"

Following instinct, the older twin rushed in a direction, pulling Haruhi with him.

"What's going on!?"

He bolted from the stage off to the side; Kaoru wasn't calling anymore. Something happened, and Hikaru needed to find his brother. There was a sensation of lost footing as the floor under his step seemed to vanish. As if they had gone through a tunnel, like from a sunset sky poured into their vision. Hikaru's foot at stepped into nothingness, and his grip on Haruhi's arm tugged her along with him as they fell out of nowhere, screaming in shock. So many things happened at once: somehow they could see the sunset by the ocean, a tree-covered land far below them, but most importantly a massive pirate-ship-like flying vessel traveling farther away from the pair's now falling position.

"Hikaru!" it was Kaoru.

His voice grew faint, as he seemed to be moving farther away. Was he on that ship? Hikaru and Haruhi free fell towards the forest below. Without warning, Hikaru pulled the girl into him, closing his arms around her to protect her as the green grew closer and closer. Everything was in a matter of seconds, from the start of the fall, to the impact of the branches.

* * *

A slam of a door echoed so loudly throughout the auditorium, it silenced everyone in the room as the lights all miraculously returned to power. Quiet filled the room like soup as everyone wondered what just happened. Tamaki charged across the stage to see a large prop door just standing right off stage; was that there before? He couldn't recall.

"Haruhi!?" he bellowed, "Haruhi!?"

One of the students called for an intermission as they searched for Haruhi and the twins. Mysteriously, they couldn't be found anywhere in building. The door was the only thing left behind.

* * *

Hikaru cried out as his back smacked against the side of a towering pine tree, spinning the pair. Haruhi felt a branch slam into her shoulder, tearing a hole in her costume and scrapping a chunk out of her skin. They crashed threw another branch and finally tumbled onto the forest floor. Pain flooded them both, but that wasn't going to stop Hikaru from saving his twin. As quickly as he could stand, he charged off in the direction of the unusual ship.

"Hikaru!" Haruhi coughed, "Wait!" she pushed herself onto her feet with as much energy as she could muster and gave chase, not too far behind her fellow host.

"Kaoru!" he shouted, over and over again. "Kaoru!"

Haruhi held her arm carefully, feeling the hot burn of her open wound. That didn't matter right now, though, she needed to stop Hikaru. The trees cleared, and a wave of terror covered Haruhi as she saw Hikaru run straight off the side of a cliff just inches in front of her.

"Hikaru!" she cried.

Haruhi dove to catch the twin's hand just barely over the edge. His gaze was fixated on the ship which was incredibly far out onto the horizon over the sea.

"Hikaru, I can't—" she held onto his arm with both hands, the blood from her gash flowing down across her fingers and onto Hikaru's sleeve.

His weight was too much, she was getting pulled over the edge with him. _What can I do!? _Her mind drew a blank, as she felt her body slip over as well, but she didn't let go of the twin. In less than a minute, the two fell into another free fall down the jagged slope. Hikaru pulled the girl into him once again, and they rolled like a barrel down the cliff; Haruhi felt a rock jab into her back making her scream out in more pain. What felt like minutes of agony lasted a brief few seconds as the pair finally came to a stop at the grassy bottom of the basin. They let go of each other finally, separating as they laid in the grass, beaten and bruised.

* * *

"Hikaru!" Kaoru screamed, being pulled by cloaked men across the ship.

The younger twin thrashed about, trying to break free of his captors. One tried to gag him, but he turned his face and gave a head-butt to the man's jaw. He flailed his head back and forth, smashing the nose of another man, forcing his release. Kaoru booked it, not knowing where to run but trying desperately for freedom. Two men tried to block him, but Koaru tackled one to the floor with his shoulder, falling on top of the winded man. The other went to grab the redhead, Kaoru felt a hand on his lower thigh. Quickly he reached for something, anything, and found a large, heavy object. He didn't have time to know what it was, nor did he care; Kaoru slammed the item into the jaw of the guy grabbing his leg, and stood over the attacker he tackled.

"Who are you!? What do you want from me!?"

None of them spoke, but he could see steel being drawn; they were armed. Unconsciously he stepped backwards, only to trip on the man still laying on the floor and fell backwards. It was then that Kaoru realized what he was on for the first time, a massive flying ship. He hadn't noticed just how close to the edge of the ship he was, until he struck the side of the ship onto his shoulder blades, and went tumbling off the vessel head first.

The sunset was beautiful, that much he could tell. So many thoughts crossed his mind as he fell, though the one that he heard the most ring in his head was how he wouldn't get to paint something as pretty like that. Then he thought about Hikaru. _Hikaru… I guess I won't get to see you again. _He saw nothing but blue ocean below him, and burried his face into his arms, bracing himself for the pain. Tears streamed across his wrists as he started to sob. He was going to die, and in the last couple minutes, he had no idea what happened to him.

He stood in the dark of the power outage, when a hand grabbed him by the wrist. Whoever they were, he remembered how soft their skin was. Kaoru was pulled, then the hand was replaced by gloved hands, that of the black-clad men on the ship. He never saw the owner of the soft hand. Out of nowhere he was in the sunset sky, on a wooden pirate ship of some kind, and now he was falling to his inevitable demise into a foreign ocean. The younger twin could never imagine such an insane way to die.

That moment, he felt something soft and thick break his fall, before tearing through it and striking a rough surface hard. In a split second, he was overcome with searing pain before he fell unconscious.

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**Phew, I tore through this chapter as soon as the action started to happen, so I really hope it comes across really well.**

**Like I said, I should have the next chapter coming out soon, but I will pace chapter releases more after that. Share your thoughts if you can!**


	5. Red In The Forest

**This chapter came out a little later than I wanted, but I'm very happy to say that it's finished and ready for you to see. I have a lot planned for the future of this, though I'm still not sure just how long it will be, but enough about speculation. On with the fanfiction!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran Host Club or any of its characters.**

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Red In The Forest

Haruhi woke up to a head of orangey-red hair, messy and with a leaf or two sticking out. His pauper costume was dirty, and a sleeve was torn off, then she noticed it was around her bloody shoulder. Her head pounded and a pulsing pain flew threw her arm. She remembered what happened; somehow she and Hikaru ended up high in the air, falling into a forest with the view of a flying wooden ship sailing the clouds towards the sunset. The falling was all a blur, but she knew they had survived a fatal fall thanks to the branches of pine trees breaking their descent and a tumble down a cliffside. Bruises likely lined her body, Hikaru's too she would assume.

"Are you okay, Haruhi?" Hikaru spoke.

She had to admit, it was rare to see one of the Hitachiin twins showcasing their serious and caring sides; normally the two were nothing but jokers, but today took a dramatic turn. It wasn't like any other day.

"My arm hurts, but I'll live." Her voice cracked as she spoke.

Hikaru frowned, "I don't even know what to say right now." His thoughts crossed the events that occurred.

Haruhi forced herself to think rationally, "What we need to do is find shelter." She glanced at the sun; it was still in the sky but probably for another hour at best.

The twin looked at her with a lost look, like a child alone at a mall. He struggled to find something to say. Haruhi managed to climb to her feet, her legs aching from the beating she received. If Hikaru was going to sulk then she needed to take leadership. "Lets start moving, maybe we can find a cave or something if we walk along this cliff.

Hikaru nodded.

The two hosts searched along the cliffside, keeping their eyes out for anything besides rock and trees. For a while, there was silence; both of them were likely trying to make sense of the situation, though it was impossible to rationalize the scenario.

"Have you ever gone camping?" Hikaru broke the quiet.

"Once when I was younger. It was one of my classes that took a couple days during Golden Week. We didn't do much though; we just had a campfire and slept in tents. Some of the others went swimming in the lake."

"Very cute." Hikaru smiled, "Little Haruhi swimming in the lake."

She glared at the twin, "Actually I sat on the side, reading."

"I wasn't trying to patronize you."

Haruhi sighed, "How about you then?"

"Oh we've camped many times. Our parents own several cabins in the mountains. When we were old enough, Kaoru and I had our own cabin with plenty of privacy." He winked. "We even had a jacuzzi on our balcony; it felt amazing to relax in that during winter break. Nothing but the steam of the water and the beautiful mountain snow."

_Damn rich people… _Haruhi rolled her eyes.

"We should take you next time."

_If we can even find Kaoru…_ Haruhi stopped dead in her tracks.

"Haruhi?"

What if they couldn't find Kaoru? What would happen then? Haruhi looked at Hikaru, was he thinking the same thing? "I'd really like that," She spoke, "Let's make sure to find him and take him home." She gave the best smile she could.

Something about Hikaru's face changed slightly; perhaps it was just a little bit of hope.

Hikaru and Haruhi came to a stop after turning around the cliff. What was directly in front of them was what seemed to be an old ruin; it looked like it might've been a small temple of some kind, though the stone pillars were coated in thick moss from age. Interestingly enough, the ruins didn't look like any kind of Japanese architecture; if anything it looked more greek, or maybe roman. The sight of a small covered area meant shelter; and oddly headless short statue stood atop the middle of the building. Despite the safety of the inclosure, the sight of the ruins opened up a hundred more unanswered questions than already there.

"What do you think that is?" Hikaru asked.

"Right now, I'm calling it camp."

Haruhi hobbled towards the ruin, with Hikaru right behind her. The covered part of the ruins seemed to be an alter. There was a pedestal in the center of the small room, though there was nothing on it.

"Think we can sleep here?" Haruhi suggested.

"It doesn't exactly scream 'comfortable,' you know." Hikaru frowned.

"Sorry your highness, let's go to the resort next door." She spat.

"I get it, I'm sorry." Hikaru surrendered. "Don't you think we need a fire?"

"We can gather some wood and maybe some leaves. I think I know how you're supposed to start a fire…"

They both grimaced, neither were experienced in starting fires from anything other than matches or lighters.

"We'll have to try at least." Haruhi confirmed.

"Let me get some wood then."

"I can help."

"I know you can, but I can see the pain all over you. Please just rest for a bit while I collect some wood."

"That's…That's really considerate of you." She said with some surprise.

He gave her a thumbs up and walked out into the woods. Taking his advice, she leaned her back against the wall and sat. Hikaru was right, everything hurt; thinking about it though, he was likely in as much pain as she was. Haruhi had to hand it to the twin, he was holding himself together surprisingly well in light of everything that's happened in the last half-hour or so. The sun was going away soon, and light was limited. She hoped he would return quickly before the dark came. It's not that she was afraid of the dark, but you just never want to be alone in the dark when you're lost.

Ten minutes passed of Haruhi doing nothing but thinking. For the first time since the blackout in the auditorium, she finally had a second to actually process everything piece by piece. The more she tried to understand, the more confusing it all became. These weird ruins, and the fantasy-esque airship that seemingly kidnapped Kaoru, and for what purpose? Who actually took the twin, and how did they perform the abduction? Was the blackout their doing? How many people were involved? What happened in the dark that took them to this forest? That question was the one that hurt the most. Haruhi decided it was best not to try and speculate; if there was a scientific answer, she didn't have a clue as to what could've happened.

There was some sound from the outside, and Haruhi stepped out to see.

"Hikaru?"

The red haired twin wasn't around. Instead, her heart sank and her eyes nearly popped out or her head as she was faced with what was probably the largest insect she had ever seen. The vermin had a long and thin body, with six spider-like legs and a fanged face. It was an rhino-sized, clearly carnivorous insect with its eyes glaring at the now-terrified girl.

"Hikaru!?" she called out in desperation.

Haruhi quickly turned tail and ran towards the inclosure of the alter with the unfamiliar creature swiftly chasing her. The shelter wasn't small enough to stop the bug, but she could possibly climb the side thanks to the age of the structure providing missing chunks of stone.

Hikaru had a handful of old wood and fallen branches from the woods, but he dropped the collection instantly when he saw the insane sight before him. Haruhi was running for her life from what must've been the biggest bug Hikaru could imagine. He blindly charged forward, not wanting to see his friend and classmate get eaten by some oversized pest. She jumped at the side of the alter, trying to scale the stone, but fell on her back after shouting in pain. It must've been her still-fresh wound. The thing was practically on top of her with its sharp-toed legs.

"Haruhi!"

She tumbled out of the way of the monsters attempts at bites and stabs, managing to kick its head away. He turned his face to the alter, where a large sword sat stuck in the rock, was that always there? Hikaru didn't care right now, he had to save Haruhi. He gripped the handle and tugged with as much force as he could, sending him falling on his ass when the weapon gave no resistance. Something strange was going on, but he didn't have time to think about that. Haruhi stumbled up after another kick and tried to get away. Hikaru made a swing at the bug's legs and sliced one clean off; a glass-shattering screech was let out. The twin had the insects attention, which gave Haruhi another chance to climb the alter, her eyes focused on the statue.

With the monster's fixation on Hikaru, he braced himself for a fight, giving a swing at the head. It retaliated with a dodge and a swing of one forearm and smacked Hikaru away like a rag doll. The bug had a lot more strength than it led off. Hikaru swung the sword to keep the beast away from him as he stood to his feet.

"Hikaru!" Haruhi called.

The statue stood on a single leg, with its arms up, now that Haruhi got a closer look at the details. She pondered if it was originally playing an instrument of some kind. Haruhi hoped she was strong enough to push the aged statue off its leg; Hikaru seemed to understand her plan as he lured the insect in front of the alter. It swung is forearms like blades in attempts to kill the red head.

"Haruhi, hurry!"

"I'm trying!"

The girl pushed with all her weight against the old stone statue, and with a final shove was able to sever the thin leg and drop the rock onto the head of the bug, crushing it and splattering its sticky insides across the ruin floor. Its legs still twitched and struggled. The two of them let out synchronized sighs.

"What the hell was that thing?" Haruhi questioned.

"I don't really care, I just don't want to stay here."

The sun had finally set during the attack, and options were slim now that darkness had settled. After taking a moment to breathe, Haruhi's attention was drawn to a plume of smoke about a mile away. It was small and contained, unlike a possible forest fire.

"Hikaru, come up here!" she commanded.

The twin cocked his brow but followed her directions regardless, climbing up to the top of the shrine. Haruhi pointed towards the smoke.

"That must be a fire."

"A fire? You don't think—"

"If it's a campfire, we might find people."

"It's a little big to be a campfire, don't you think?"

"But it's too small to be a forest fire. It would likely be spreading if it were serious, and the smoke would cover the sky."

Hikaru crossed his arms, "It's already dark; what if we're wrong?"

"I doubt we're safe staying here after _that _thing."

She was right, which meant the pair would have to walk through some of the forest in the dark. It was dangerous, but ultimately necessary. Hikaru helped Haruhi down from the shrine, making sure to avoid the still-squirming corpse. The boy clutched the sword and took the lead into the woods on their venture towards the source of the smoke.

"So where did you get that sword?"

"It was stuck inside that stone in the room."

"You mean like 'The Sword and The Stone?'" Haruhi pondered; something was clearly strange about wherever they were. "I'm sure it wasn't there before."

"What are you trying to say? It magically appeared because we needed it?"

"I have no idea, but not only am I sure it wasn't there, but look at the blade." She explained, as Hikaru took a look, "The blade is sharp, and clear. Besides the, ah… bug goo… it looks brand new. If that thing was really there the entire time, shouldn't it be as worn as the stone?"

Hikaru pursed his lips. "What does this mean?"

"I don't like this."

An hour had passed since their arrival in this strange place, yet the two already felt like it took a whole day. Both kept their eyes peeled for other disturbing creatures that might show their faces; after the run-in with that gargantuan bug, who knows what else could be lurking in the darkness. Their pace was steady, yet they reached the source of the smoke before too much time had passed; what they found was the first positive thing to happen so far.

They stumbled through the thicket into a large clearing to find a sizable bonfire and a slew of people sitting around it. Needless to say, they attracted quite a bit of attention. The bonfire was surrounded by logs, like a classic campfire, and big tents were scattered around the area and in between some trees in the distance. A few people rushed to Hikaru and Haruhi with worried expressions; their injuries were easy to read with Haruhi's bloodied arm, and the dirt and bruises on their faces.

"Who are you two? What happened to you?" spoke a younger boy in fluent Japanese.

The common language came as a sign of relief to the two host club members, as they wouldn't have to leap a language barrier with this crew. As nice as it was, it also raised other questions.

"We've been through a lot." Hikaru answered.

"We were hoping to find someplace to rest for the night." Haruhi added.

"Absolutely," it was an older girl that spoke, "Quickly, let's get you some medical attention. Astrid!" she shouted, her tone strong like a leader.

The girl was clearly a young adult, likely between sixteen and twenty years old. Her skin was a light brown, like a cup of milky earl grey; she didn't seem Japanese, but someone more Mediterranean. Long black locks cascaded down her back in a ponytail; the end was dyed dark shade of violet. Her costume was the most eye catching as she wore black boots and puffy red pants with small golden stars; her top was also black, and shoulder-less with straps that hugged her upper arms giving her an exotic feel. The boy was a bit more neutral, though had puffy navy pants and golden shoes with a white vest. His hair was equally black as did he match her complexion. It was possible they were siblings. To be fair though, both Hikaru and Haruhi were still wearing their costumes from the performance (even if the clothes were torn and dirty.)

The eclectic pair helped them into the arms of an older woman with a much more normal appearance, though it seemed a bit dated. Haruhi assumed this was the "Astrid" that the girl called for; she had a motherliness to her and also had a Mediterranean look to her. Astrid ushered them towards a large red tent to the North of camp; inside had several cots and some small tables with various supplies.

"Why don't you lay down and I'll look at your shoulder?" her voice was deep, yet warm and elegant.

Haruhi nodded and took a seat on a cot, seeing Hikaru take a seat next to her. Having finally a chance to sit, the exhaustion caught up to him, as he could barely keep himself sitting upright. Astrid was delicate removing Haruhi's makeshift bandages. The sleeve was dark with blood, not enough to cause her much damage, but the wound still stung. The bleeding stopped somewhere along the journey thanks to the cloth. Astrid started by cleaning her gash, which caused quite a bit of stinging; The woman began to sing quietly, as if she were treating her own child. It didn't stop the pain but it was comforting.

The girl from before walked in, this time without her brother. Her eyes were warm and chocolaty brown, and her smile seemed playful. She took a seat next to Hikaru, who scooted his legs to give her room.

"I neglected to introduce myself before, though I have to admit that your arrival sent a scare through me. My name is Isa, and I am grateful to see your wound isn't as bad as I feared."

"Pleasure to meet you, lovely lady," Hikaru put his host persona on, "I must give you my thanks for giving us your aid. I don't think we could've gone on without you."

"You're sounding like Tamaki-senpai, Hikaru." Haruhi laughed through a cough.

Hikaru glared at the girl; she got him just below the belt. She was good though, perhaps she had been spending too much time with him and his brother.

"My name is Hitachiin, Hikaru."

"Fujioka, Haruhi."

"Hikaru and Haruhi then?" she pointed to each, "Those are rather unique names. In any case, I welcome you to the camp of the Circus of Red."

"Circus?" Both host members spoke in unison.

"Correct, we're on our way to our next big show. I'm a dancer here, and I also have other performing talents. Enough about us though, please tell me what happened."

"I don't really know most of what happened," Hikaru started, "We fell…" he wasn't sure how to describe it.

"We were looking for his twin brother when…"

Astrid finished clearing Haruhi's wound of splinters and disinfecting it; she moved onto wrapping it with proper bandages as Haruhi explained what the two of them had been through. She did neglect the randomly appearing sword tidbit as well as where they came from and seemingly running into the sky from the stage of an auditorium. She felt it would be too farfetched for them to believe.

"That ship… You escaped the Phantoms?" Isa spoke with a tone of surprise.

"Phantoms?" Haruhi asked, "That was a ghost ship?" she seemed confused.

Isa gave a look of disbelief for a moment before explaining. "They are not ghosts, but they are called Phantoms by people all across the land. They take people from their homes, often without being seen; those that are kidnapped are never seen again."

There was a sinking feeling in Haruhi's chest, as she looked over to Hikaru. While they didn't know for sure what happened with Kaoru, he was almost certainly on that ship when they heard him shout.

"He's alive." Hikaru said boldly, "I can feel it."

"No one knows what their goals are. I'm certain they don't blindly slaughter the ones they take; it wouldn't make much sense to abduct someone only to kill them immediately."

"Where do they go?" Hikaru demanded.

Astrid looked with concern towards the twin, as well as to Isa. She was clearly at a loss for words; however, Isa kept her cool through the conversation.

"In these lands, we have seen them travel towards the sunset."

"That means they've gone West." Haruhi reasoned.

"Where are we exactly?"

Isa gave another glance towards them both, "I can't imagine how long it must've felt being captured by them, so I understand why you might be confused about your location."

"You're in the forest south of Vatnsberi City."

That was a very interesting and difficult to say name, Haruhi wanted to ask more questions but Isa continued.

"Astrid, why don't you see if supper is ready, I'm sure our guests could use some food."

She nodded and left the tent, leaving them with alone with Isa.

"Thank you." Haruhi said.

"No thanks needed, we will not leave travelers to starve in the forest when we have plenty of food for everyone." Her expression suddenly became much more serious. "I know neither are you are from anywhere near here."

The two hosts glanced at each other, not sure how to react to her.

"I can see much has happened to you both, and I can understand wanting to hide information that you cannot explain to yourselves first. I will have you know that where ever you may be from, you are in a _very _far land." Hikaru and Haruhi were speechless to her words, "You mentioned your brother is likely a captive. I assume you plan on chasing the Phantoms to rescue him; I also assume there is little I can say to stop you from trying even though it holds great risk to your own safety." She took a deep breath, "I will provide you with the information you need, but I will only do so tomorrow. For tonight, I want you both to relax and enjoy your time with the circus. Eat and rest, then worry about rescue tomorrow."

"You already told us it was West."

Haruhi nearly choked, as she looked over to Hikaru. Had he planned to try and continue the chase immediately? After they were as tired and sore as they were, no less?

"The sun is gone and the forest is dark and dangerous. I'd like add that even if you could identify the proper direction, you will hit an ocean. Unless you have the power to transform into a fish, I doubt you would swim across the sea."

"Hikaru, I agree with her." Haruhi added.

The twin looked exasperated, and depressed at the same time. In truth the separation from his brother made him feel lost. He needed to save Kaoru.

"Alright." His tone was defeat.

"Very well." Isa stood, "I know you are both tired, but let's join the others for dinner. It may not be much, but it will certainly fill your bellies." She giggled.

Whoever Isa was, she was much smarter than she appeared.

Haruhi and Hikaru were tired, but they were both far hungrier than worn. They sat together, next to the boy from before, as a pale and boney blond man passed large bowls of stew around the group. There was a large number of people around the bonfire, two or three to each of the eight logs. That boy leaned over and explained that there were others too, some that were already asleep, others tending to the animals and would eat later.

"My name is Talon, by the way. I'm Isa's brother." Haruhi and Hikaru also shared their introductions, before Talon continued, "It's a vegetable stew. Nothing too fancy, but Atlas is an amazing cook. He's an acrobat and performs with the mammoths."

The hosts glanced at each other with a look of surprise. _Mammoths!? _Hikaru thought. They were both served their stew by the scrawny guy. Talon started digging in like a starving dog, and Haruhi was also quick to take a spoonful.

"Hmph, commoner food." Hikaru sulked.

"I'll eat it then." Haruhi commented.

A roar from Hikaru's stomach silenced him, as he starting spooning the stew into his mouth. Talon was right, it was actually quite flavorful. The stew was rich, savory, and with some deliciously sweet carrots and perfectly cooked broccoli. Those may have been the vegetables, or they could be something else that Hikaru wasn't familiar with seeing as they fought a giant insect and now discovered a circus that raised mammoths. At this point, little would surprise him.

Haruhi sat the cleared bowl between her legs on the grass, having devoured the meal like it was her last. After everything she went through, having a hot meal was like a dream come true. For a moment when that massive bug had its sharp claws and teeth inches from her face, she wasn't sure if she would've gotten another meal. Looking over to Hikaru, she noticed he had also inhaled his food.

"How was that 'commoner food' of yours?" she smirked.

"Well it's certainly not food from home, but it was surprisingly pleasant."

"You're both finished already?" Talon gawked, "You must not have eaten since yesterday."

"It's been a long day." Haruhi spoke.

"Attention everyone!" Isa interrupted as people finished their meals. "I know we're all full, but I'd like to formally introduce our guests: the Dashing Hikaru and the Marvelous Haruhi!" there was a round of applause, "This fantastical duo has escaped the wrath of the Phantoms, and have survived a perilous journey. I say we give them a proper Red greeting by giving them a taste of our show!"

Cheers were let out from around the bonfire, with Hikaru and Haruhi left speechless. There was a collecting scurry as several members of the troupe went to collect things related to their acts. Talon confirmed that some would skip performing due to having full stomachs; his example was a pink-haired girl no older than thirteen who was supposedly a master contortionist. Three people returned with instruments: another young girl with a fiddle, a young man with a flute, and a scantily dressed woman with a tambourine. Those three began to play a joyous tune as the towering skinny man that served the food mounted a unicycle and began to juggle five daggers as he rode around the bonfire. A gorgeous looking gentleman had the pink-haired contortionist sit in a chair as he held a vibrant crimson cape. He performed various magic illusions by pulling things out of the cloak, such as a bouquet of colorful roses to hand the girl; for his finally, he waved the cloak in front of the girl and in an instant she vanished. Astrid took a stand quickly blindfolded a another handsome man holding and bow and quiver of arrows before giving him a light kiss on the lips, they must've been a couple. She walked some distance away holding a small target and called for him to aim. He fired seven deadly accurate shots at the target as she moved it back and forth; Astrid even held it in front of her face and over her chest. With a shock, a hulking giant of a man lifted the log they sat on with Talon, nearly causing both hosts to fall backwards off the log. The boy simply cheered as the man stood, lifting the log as if he was weightlifting; he even tossed it in the air and caught it, almost sending the two into shock yet again before setting them down.

Isa was the last to perform. She wore gold bangles around her wrists with long translucent red fabric dangling from them. Isa began to dancing to the music with extraordinary beauty; it was a slower dance, yet it was mesmerizing. The fabric of her bangles flowed in fluid shapes and she manipulated them and the space around her. As she was about to finish, she was handed a small rod of some kind which she ignited from the end of the bonfire. To the amazement of the two hosts, she stuck the flame into her mouth and swiftly blew a cloud of crimson fire into the air just as the band finished their music. Haruhi and Hikaru applauded with great enthusiasm to the show, as did the others to Isa's dance.

"That was impressive." Hikaru complimented.

"Thank you kindly." Isa bowed, "Dancing is my biggest passion, and that's what the Circus of Red is all about. Emotion, passion, dedication, ferocity, and most importantly love; that's why it's called the Circus of _Red _after all."

"I see what you mean, everyone seems so happy here." Haruhi commented, "It's like they all truly enjoy being here and doing what they do."

"I see you understand this well. That makes me very happy, as it does to everyone here. I believe that's enough talk for one evening. I think I'll be going to sleep early tonight, and I suggest you do the same."

Sleep sounded wonderful to them both. She wasn't sure, but Haruhi speculated it must've been around 9 or 10 PM counting their time since the sun went down; that, of course, is assuming time still worked the same in wherever they were.

"Unfortunately we don't have any guest tents." Isa frowned, "But the cots in the medical tent should suffice. Luckily we do have some extra blankets and pillows, I'll have Astrid bring them to you."

Hikaru pouted, no doubt at the idea of sleeping in a cot for the evening.

"Don't give me that look, especially since you had to sleep in the hospital not too long ago."

"I know, trust me I'm satisfied I get something remotely soft to sleep on. I was about to cry in the woods thinking about sleeping on some stone floor."

"Maybe we thank that thing that attacked us then?" Haruhi remarked.

"That creepy-crawly? Fine, but I'll thank the rest of them to stay the hell away from me."

Sometimes Hikaru could be very immature; Haruhi had to admit though, he was surprisingly calm in the middle of all this chaos. She knew better though, deep down he was doing everything he could to not collapse. Though he pasted a smile on his face and tried to throw in his humor, the knowledge that his brother might be in peril was eating him inside.

Astrid entered the tent with the pillows and blankets as Isa said, wishing the two of them a good rest before giving them privacy. Hikaru complained briefly about the discomfort of the cot compared to his lavish bed; ultimately, he fell asleep in minutes. Haruhi looked to him, to the mysterious sword laying on the table next to him, and finally to the ceiling, then let out a deep breath.

_Mother in Heaven, please give me the strength to help find Kaoru and get us home._

With that, she promptly fell into slumber.

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**Wow… what a chapter. Truth be told I knocked out 4k words all in one day… and this chapter is about 5k total. I have to say I'm really proud of myself and I'm super excited about this chapter. A lot has happened, and believe me this is only the beginning.****  
**


	6. It Begins

**The New Year is approaching and I hope everyone is enjoying their respective holidays. This might be the last chapter of 2014 for this story, though I might try and get one more in soon if I have the time.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran Host Club or any of its characters!**

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It Begins

Hikaru sat next to Kaoru at the usual table in the third music room; their usual clients sat before them sipping tea. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

"I had this horrible dream, my Kaoru."

Hikaru's fingertips barely tickled Kaoru's chin as he let them float around his twin's beautiful face. The girls gulped their tea with audible noise in synch to the scene playing out before them.

"Hikaru, tell me. What could've kept you up all night? And so far away from me." His tone meek and almost feminine to imitate the role of the "uke" that their guests had become to know so well.

"You were gone, kidnapped by thieves. I was afraid I would never see you again, never to feel your touch again."

"Hikaru…"

The girls screamed to themselves, enjoying the performance. For Hikaru, it was much less a performance, after all a nightmare like that could shake a person to their spine. Haruhi walked by with a teapot she was taking to her guests.

"It wasn't a nightmare you know." She spoke.

The members of the twins' table glanced to the disguised host with a look of confusion.

"Wasn't it though?" Hikaru asked.

"Wouldn't I remember it then?" Kaoru added.

The room felt quiet for a moment, as everyone fell silent. Something was wrong. Screams were let out as dark figures crashed through the window, one snagging the younger twin in the process.

"Hikaru!"

"No!" Hikaru interjected.

The older twin bolted after the figure, only to slip on a banana peel and fall into a pit of emptiness. Was this what it was like to be missing your twin— your other half? Nothing in all directions, just black and misery.

* * *

Hikaru awoke feeling exhausted, with darkness still beyond the tent. He hadn't slept long. His legs were heavy like cement as he flung them over the side of the cot. That's right, he was in a tent, out in the forest in some far-off land that certainly wasn't Japan. Haruhi snoozed on her cot, fast asleep. She looked pure and cute that way, something she always managed to pull off in any scenario. At first, Hikaru wondered if it was love, that he had found someone to care for beyond his brother. The more time he spent with her, the more he realized it was love, but not the kind he initially suspected. She was like a sister, sometimes a little sister and other times a big sister. Now she was stuck in this world because of him.

Hmm… _world_… That word played on Hikaru's brain for a while. Was that really where they were? A different world? Was that possible? He didn't want to believe such a thing, but the evidence was piling against him. Much was depressing about the idea: the fact that he had no idea how to return, that he dragged poor Haruhi with him and the fact that his brother was taken, likely in grave danger as well.

What was it about the middle of this night that made all these thoughts and emotions crash on the red-haired host so intensely that he broke down into a sob against the pillow he clutched in his lap? Was it that the gravity of the situation finally settled now that the adrenaline had passed? Perhaps… Hikaru felt differently though. This was the first night he spent without his twin in his bed. It wasn't right; actually, it was downright cruel. They had always been told their dependance on one another wasn't healthy. Neither cared. There was an void in the palm of Hikaru's hand… the hand of Kaoru.

He slipped into the worn pauper shoes from the play and walked out into the chilly night of the circus camp. He wondered what time it was, midnight? Later? It was hard to judge, though the torches around camp were all gone bar a few with some people still awake. He suspected there were some on watch for crazy bugs and other animals like the insect that nearly killed Haruhi and him.

He walked around, staring at the stars. Maybe if he took astronomy classes, he would be able to get more information from the sky, though that idea was tossed away without much thought. Honestly, he doubted the stars in whatever this place was would be the same as the ones from back home. _World_… that word again popped in his mind. Hikaru held his shivering shoulders and took a stroll around the vacant camp, passing the extinguished bonfire from last night's festivities and taking a glimpse at the tents all around him. Most were red; he remembered the name of the circus being the Circus of Red. It made sense to say the least.

Hikaru felt more alone than ever; he continued to let out sporadic sobs as he walked, not fully containing his emotions. His mind wondered… _Kaoru, where are you? You're West right? That's what Isa said… you were taken towards the setting sun._ He bit his lip. Maybe he was desperate, but he really did want to leave now. Every second that passed was another that he mind not find his brother, or worse he might find him dead. Isa mentioned a city… Vanta— Vatsby— whatever its name, where did she say it was? _You're in the forest South of— City. _He remembered; that's what she said, or something like it at least. _If I go North, then I should find that City. Maybe I can find a boat or someone willing to take me across the ocean._

"Taking a midnight stroll?"

Hikaru expected Isa, but it wasn't her. Though she was different, the girl standing behind him looked familiar. He remembered her face at the bonfire, though he didn't recall her doing any sort of act. She was short, but likely in her twenties with caramel colored hair that rested down her left shoulder. She wore a red silk shawl asymmetrically with fabric pushed to her right, and puffy, vanilla-colored pants.

"W-Who are you?" Hikaru spoke with a shiver.

She smiled gently and gestured towards a warm-toned violet tent, one of the few that wasn't red. "Let's step inside where it's warmer, I"ll make you some tea."

The was something oddly compelling about her tone. Needless to say, she was a mysterious woman. Inside her tent was a large curtain separating her space into "rooms" in a sort. The one before Hikaru was a large table with a gold and red tablecloth. Various knick-knacks and decorations filled the room; flowers, jewerly, gemstones and even a guitar made up the room. The woman returned from the other side of the tent with a tray of tea cups; she had taken a brief moment to pour the tea for her and her guest.

"I had a feeling I would have a guest, so I started the pot just before I checked outside. Sorry I forgot to properly introduce myself, they call me Madame Mitzi here."

"Hitachiin, Hikaru," he shared, "and you're a fortune-teller I presume?"

"Observant of you" she giggled, "We've added quite a bit of junk to help me set the stage. The others said it would be more entertaining this way."

"It's a little cliché if you ask me." Hikaru bluntly pouted.

"Yes it can be, though it's what people expect when they come."

"Makes sense." Hikaru took a sip of the tea. It was still hot, and cozy with a flavor like cinnamon but different. "This is nice."

"It's a personal blend. You'll have to excuse me though, I don't have a strainer for the leaves; be careful not drink those as well." She giggled again.

Hikaru hid a wince. The tea wasn't exactly high class, but it was calming; he could feel some of the tension release. Madame Mitzi took a moment to light incense around the room, letting the open tent vent the smoke.

"Why don't I do some readings for your?"

"No offense, but I don't exactly believe in this kind of stuff."

"No harm in trying then, right?" she smiled.

Hikaru didn't have time to respond as she took his and examined his palm, her focus, unbreakable. The twin didn't believe in any of this; nevertheless, it made him slightly uncomfortable.

"I see a lot of success in your future, financially. Actually it seems like that's never been an issue for you. What fascinates me, though, is this long line. There is someone of great importance to you, traveling next to your line from the top to the bottom. They are a dear friend, a part of your family; you love them dearly."

Hikaru brushed off her predictions with another gulp of tea, finishing his cup.

"How was your tea?" she asked, while releasing his palm.

"I liked it." he spoke quietly, handing her the cup.

"I must admit, there is another reason I don't filter the tea leaves." She added, looking into the mug. "I can learn more from this, you see?" she paused for a moment, "I see the same person from the line in your palm, your past seems to be nothing but the two of you. Only recently has your tree of relationships branched out. There is much connecting you both, even through a thicket of struggles you are both destined to face, you will stay close at heart. Your path's are so intertwined that not only have you spent your history together, but you will also maintain that inseparability throughout your future; I also see that you two will die together."

"That's enough, I think." Hikaru stood. "I should probably try and get some sleep." He headed for the exit, "Thank you again for the tea."

Mitzi giggled coyly, "Sleep well then."

Hikaru rushed out of the tent. He wanted to brush off her fortunes, but they struck a nerve. With a bit of memory and possibly luck, he returned to the medical tent where Haruhi was still sound asleep; Hikaru laid himself on the cot once again, and struggled to fall asleep. After another hour of tossing and turning, his body finally gave in.

* * *

"Hikaru!"

The red-head groaned, still feeling exhausted. His eyes opened and his vision focused on Haruhi shaking him awake. There was a minimal amount of light, likely still dark outside.

"What time is it?"

Isa's voice spoke, "Dawn will approach soon, no one's awake yet. We should hurry."

"Hurry?"

"Isa's going to help us find Kaoru." Haruhi explained.

He turned his head to see Isa smiling at him, with clothes over her arm. Upon further inspection, Haruhi's outfit was new. She wore boots, black pants and a pink jacket, unbuttoned with a white shirt underneath; part of a flower could be seen on the shirt. What really caught Hikaru's attention was a leather belt around her waist that had a pocket on one side and knife on the other.

"Where did you get the clothes and the knife?" he spoke, swinging his legs over the edge of the cot.

"They're some of mine," Isa shared, "I was able to find you some clothes also. Believe we we have plenty of extra clothes from various performances."

"Why are we leaving now?"

"I'm taking you to find your brother, which means we'll be chasing the Phantoms. If the other's knew, there'd be no way they would take you there, let alone let me join you. We're leaving now so they don't try and stop us."

"Wont they be worried?"

"Probably, but I left a note for Talon. They can take care of themselves, and they will understand eventually. Besides, I do intend to return."

Hikaru chuckled, "I suppose you don't have a shower for me?"

Isa pointed to the changing screen and a bucket of soapy water, "I've got you covered.

Hikaru grimaced. Showering with a bucket? Nevertheless, he stripped down behind the screen and ran the water over his head. It wasn't ice cold but it definitely wasn't pleasant or hot. Isa threw a towel over the screen and he quickly dried off and changed into the outfit she picked for him. The clothes were strikingly similar to Hikaru's personal style, he had to admit. The boots were comfortable resting just above his ankles, waterproof to keep his socks dry; his orange pants ended at his calves and a blue sleeveless shirt with a hood.

"I got you this also." Isa held some armor looking thing.

She gestured for him to extend his arm, and she snapped the armor around with small clips. It wasn't uncomfortable but felt odd to have the material run up his arm to near his shoulder. Isa also provided him with some fingerless gloves.

"What is this for?" he questioned.

"The gloves will help you use that sword without rubbing the skin on your hands raw, and the arm guard is the best I could find around camp for some kind of defense."

Both Hikaru and Haruhi looked at Isa nervously.

"Why would he need defense?"

"There are some dangerous creatures in the forest, as well as in many places around the world. Besides the areas around large cities, nature's is difficult to traverse and harder to cultivate. Technology is progressing slowly, but it has yet to successfully connect large cities with safe roads and transportation."

"What other kinds of monsters are out there?" Hikaru asked.

"More things than you might be familiar with. Small things like serpents and dragons, and larger threats like spirits, elementals and possibly even bigger dangers." She had a serious tone, meaning none of what she said was a joke. "This may be a lot to take in. But we should leave soon, there will be plenty of time to talk on the way."

Isa walked over to the sword Hikaru and found at the shrine as well as a bag she had brought in with her. She handed them both to the twin with a look of confidence.

"I hate to break it to you, but I'm not exactly a trained swordsman."

"But you've used it already and survived. Don't worry I can help you get better, but I might need your help someday and I'll need you to have this."

"And the bag?"

"Supplies. I think all of us should carry some." She pointed to the bag resting at her side from around her shoulder, and the backpack Haruhi already wore.

Hikaru nodded in agreement; he gripped the handle to the blade and slipped the straps of the bag around his shoulders. The thought of such extreme dangers sent a chill up the red head's spin; however, he knew nothing would stop him from finding Kaoru. He needed to be strong, he couldn't show his tears or his fears in front of anyone. Hikaru was the strong brother, the dominant one, if he couldn't do it, who could? Isa motioned for the to make their way out of camp. Hikaru was ready to begin the search for his twin.

They ran quickly through the darkness of the early morning, following Isa's lead though neither were certain of her destination. The escape was simple and seamless as the three disappeared into the trees North of camp.

"So Isa," Haruhi began, "Where exactly are we going?"

"We're going North," she gave a cheeky grin, "to Vatnsberi City to get a ship."

With the break of dawn, their journey had just begun.

* * *

**Originally I planned for this chapter to be a lot longer and include the walk to the City but I decided to end here and take a breather. The Holidays have been busy for me so I've been writing bit by bit for this. Not much happens though, I suppose, I did want to play around more with Hikaru's personality in front of others vs alone though.**

**Let me know what you think.**


	7. A Witch and A Wood

**Long time due for this chapter, but I hope you enjoy it nevertheless!**

**Disclaimer: I don't know Ouran Host Club.**

* * *

A Witch and A Wood

Tanner and Cameron Bowman were brothers, only a year and a half apart in age; Tanner was the older of the two and had just turned sixteen. They had scruffy heads of ash brown hair and lithe frames with some leg and arm muscle visible from their hard work on the farm. Both came from a small village, and since the death of their father, they each had to work hard to maintain the farms crops and livestock.

The brothers scurried through the thicket early in the morning. Despite the rising sun, the leaves of the trees blocked much of the light, keeping the area dark and misleading. Rumors of countless travelers becoming eternally lost only to be eaten by the woods itself spread like wildfire across the country; these stories kept most away from the ominous forest, but the brothers had a secret weapon to traverse the thicket. Cam held forward a lantern holding not a flame, but a lightning bug emitting a greenish gold glow. This little insect may have been small, but they had the power to disperse the illusions the forest would cast on people. You could say it was a gift for the village from a special someone.

"This here forest always gives me the heebie-jeebies." Cam spoke, his voice thick with a country accent.

"Yeah, 'member that ol' man Beau did lose himself fer thirty days here. Came back skinny as a broom stick 'n paler than a fresh bucket've milk."

"All them spooky spirits roamin' about. Doesn't even 'member whut happened to 'um."

"Don't lose that lucky bug. Don't wanna be lost in here fer days like him."

The pair continued on their mission as they moved through the trees and bushes that crowded the environment. There was a reason for their journey into the woods; a woman named Josephine lived in a cottage deep in the thicket. The farmer brothers needed help that only she could provide, or at least the only one close enough to the village for them to reach in time.

Her cottage came into view as Tanner and Cam hopped a fallen log and turned around the side of a hill overlooking the trees. The cottage was old and worn yet surprisingly ordinary-looking. Red paint coated the outside, faded and peeling in some areas and four symmetric windows sat at each corner of the square building with cloudy glass.

Tanner approached the door and gave a knock; Inside the lantern, the firefly buzzed around enthusiastically, knowing it was close to the special woman. The door opened on its own, a voice calling from within. "Come on in!" her voice was sophisticated yet welcoming, drastically different from the drawl of the brothers.

Inside was larger than the outside would make you believe. The back wall was several stories tall, lined with countless books, some of which were flying around the room; each floor had a walkway lining the three sides of the house excluding the wall of the front door. Feather dusters zoomed all around working the shelves, counters, and other furniture around the large room. A massive kitchen sat on the left wall with dishes cleaning themselves and a mop dancing across the floor; on the opposite wall was a glass terrarium filled with the glowing lightning bugs identical to the one inside the lantern. Magic flowed throughout the house like it did on any other day, after all, Josephine was a witch.

"Please excuse the mess. Today is my cleaning day so things are a bit hectic in here." Josephine called from the second floor library wall.

She was somewhat tall, with a slender build and youthful face. Her blonde hair was tied back in a messy ponytail, long enough to reach the small of her back. The dress she wore was a navy blue, loose and comfortable reaching her bare ankles, and she wore an aqua blue half-robe covering with long and flowing sleeves. Around her neck was a ruby red jewel on a golden necklace, and flat shoes of a matching vibrant red.

"Ah, the Bowman brothers. What brings you both all the way to my cabin?" she questioned.

"Well, Ma'm," Tanner started, "We got someone hurt real bad back at the village and we don't have the supplies to fix him up."

"Ma don't think he'll make it if we don't get him some medicine. 'Cause the city's so dang far, we came to ask if you could maybe use some a yer magic or fix us somethin' to help the poor fella."

"Hmm." She pondered, stepping onto a stool that floated down from the second floor to the first. Josephine walked to face the brothers as she spoke again, "What kind of injuries does this man have? I may be able to brew a potion or craft a charm depending on the severity of his wounds."

Tanner started to explain, "Well he's mighty bruised with some broken ribs. Boy gave me 'n Cam here a scare. He up 'n just fell out've the sky 'n crashed through the tarp of our fishin' boat. Left a big ol' mark on the deck."

"We were as confused as a pair a city folk handed a rake and a plow, that is 'till we looked up and saw a Phantom ship."

"Don't know whut happened up there in the sky, but I reckon whoever that boy is, he musta jumped ship."

"I don't blame him, though. I might've done the same if it were me there."

"Internal injuries, and likely some damage to his organs. I should be able to brew something to help his body heal. Follow me."

Josephine guided the brothers to a door at the back wall, through the bookshelves. The room was dark and filled with ingredients found throughout the woods; it was the main reason Josephine chose to live in a forest of spirits. A silver cauldron sat at the opposite wall on a table. She took hold of a wooden staff by the door as she walked in, pointing the rod at the bottom of the cauldron to start a fire under the stand. Her magic always impressed the Bowman brothers.

"Janine!" she called out.

There was no response after several seconds, so Josephine gave a snap of her finger. A small group of squirrels weaved their way passed the jars and bottles, or from under the tables and furniture. These were the witch's loyal servants.

She pointed her finger to one of the squirrels and commanded, "You, please fetch Janine for me." The squirrel nodded and ran off out into the house. Josephine conducted the squirrels with leadership, "You three start by pouring in about two liters of water from the Siren's lake, top shelf." She continued to direct her finger to each squirrel one by one, "You bring me five flax flowers, you a ripe purple forest apple, lavender from you, I'll need twenty-five grams of lunar butterfly scales from you…"

Tanner and Cam stared in awe at the scene before them. They had never seen the witch prepare a potion before, and didn't expect her to command a group of squirrels to do the work for her. The three she told to get lake water pushed a large pitcher across a top shelf over the cauldron and were apparently strong enough to tip the pitcher and pour the water as well as push the pitcher back to its upright position without pouring too much or too little of the liquid. Other squirrels began collecting the necessary ingredients as the water came to a boil, each added the perfect amounts to the concoction. A young witch barreled through the farm boys with alarming urgency as the brewing began.

"Madame Josephine! I'm so sorry I'm late! She huffed and puffed.

"We will talk about your tardiness later, for now I want you to focus on this brewing, it's vital to your training." She was firm, but calm.

The girl was about the age of the younger Bowman brother, with curly red locks tucked in a cute little blue cap adorned with a golden flower over her right ear. She also wore a blue robe much like Josephine's, though her was a bit oversized with the bottom reaching just above her knees and meeting the end of her light blue flared out skirt. Her brown boots covered most of her lower legs, with decorative feathers around the rim.

Janine joined the brothers, in watching the brewing process. She eyed the two with curiosity but didn't speak a word. Josephine began explaining the process to her apprentice as she stirred the boiling potion, taking note of different precautions and instructions, most of which flew over the heads of the boys. Janine seemed to take most of it in, however. The brewing took about half an hour, after which Josephine started to pour the finalized tonic into two wooden containers.

"The potions are finished, your guest will need to drink all of one. That should repair any severe injuries and help his body heal. There's an extra one just in case." She handed each brother the containers.

"Thank you, kindly!" they said in unison.

"It will have some slight side effects I should warn you about. He might waken, but his brain won't fully break him from his dream state. If he isn't experiencing sleep paralysis, he might flail. Just be careful."

"Will do, M'am!" Tanner saluted.

Josephine showed them the door and waved goodbye as they ran back towards their village with the concoctions in hand. There was no fee, or any sort of payment, as the witch had an agreement with the people of the village. The forest had begun to fill with more and more spirits in recent years, causing it to grow and encase the village, separating it from the outside world, making it difficult for the residents to leave besides the few fishing boats. The spirits were also rather dangerous if left alone. Josephine provided the village with one of her enchanted fireflies, as well as provided magical services to assist and protect the citizens, in exchange they provided her with food, cloth, dyes, and other more averages services the witch wasn't interested in performing herself. After the boys left, she gave a stern look at her apprentice.

"Now about your tardiness…"

Janine gulped.

* * *

Kaoru felt nothing for quite some time since the pain that engulfed him briefly, before a thirst quenching sensation drowned his tongue and filled his mouth. The taste wasn't bad but it also wasn't pleasant, like flowers had just been poured down his throat. He gagged on the liquid as his consciousness began to wake with a sense of grogginess while his vision hadn't fully returned. His memory brought him back to the ship, and those men grabbing him and he started to panic.

"Let go!"

His body rose, arms feeling stiff but his legs began to move as he stumbled out of the bed.

"Hey, hey. Don't worry, yer fine now!" a male voice said.

_Quickly! Restrain him!_

His eyes adjusted and things looked dark and spotted. It gave him a massive headache but he needed to escape. Kaoru broke the grip on his arms and bolted towards the door.

"Let's follow him!"

_He's going to get away! Stop him!_

"He might get hurt!" A woman's voice spoke.

_We need him alive._

Kaoru wasn't about to find out what was in store for him. His limbs were sore but that didn't matter now. He saw people though couldn't see any details of them or of the place he was in. Off in the distance were trees; he was sure he could loose them in there.

"No! Not that way!"

Kaoru wasn't listening to anyone. He sprinted into the trees, ignoring the pain and the over exertion of the running; his willpower was too strong. The forest was dark and difficult to traverse; Kaoru hoped this would aid his escape. Fortunately, his vision began to clear up as he ran through the grass and over the logs. There was an eeriness to the woods that sent a chill through the redhead but he brushed it aside and looked for someplace to hide. Maybe once he could sit for a while he could plan some way to survive and get home, even if he had no idea where he was. There seemed to be a "path" of a kind laid out before him, not a real one but almost as if the forest was guiding him somewhere. Kaoru was too panicked to really notice this. He stopped as the trees cleared up and he found himself facing a large lake of crystal clear water glittering with light even with the heavy clouds that hung over the area.

"Little boy? What are you doing here?"

Kaoru looked to his right in a look of caution. A girl sat on a rock just off into the lake, her feet dangling into the water. Her dress was long and sky blue, yet perfectly dry, and her arms were delicate and bare. Silvery white hair cascaded down her shoulders and piercingly blue eyes gave off a glow that seemed to draw Kaoru's attention from anything else. She didn't look any older than twelve.

"Who are you?" Kaoru spoke with uncertainly in his voice.

Her smile was devilish, "I live here of course. And who exactly are you? Maybe I should ask who you're running from?"

"I don't know, but I want to get home!"

"Why leave so soon?" she questioned, "Maybe you should rest here for a while. You look exhausted; let's take a dip in the lake, it might heal your injuries."

Unaware of what was happening, Kaoru could barely speak. He didn't noticed that he had been walking towards her with slow and sluggish steps, nor did he notice the water circling around his legs. Kaoru was unable to resist as the water tightly gripped his body, pulling him towards the mysterious girl. She was floating above the water, or rather a long stream of water was holding her up, as Kaoru was pulled in and suspended to her level. Her once porcelain skin peeled away to reveal a body made almost entirely out of water; even her hair changed to strands of flowing water falling around her shoulders. Her face grew closer as did their mouths; it wasn't a kiss she was going for as her mouth was wide open with water flowing profusely down her body.

A blast of energy flew out of nowhere and struck the girl of water, halting her from continuing. Kaoru was still suspended by water; it appeared their grip was tight. After eye contact broke, so did his trance. Kaoru turned towards the source of the blast and saw a woman in a blue robe and wooden staff marching towards the river with a stern look and fierce determination. The water girl hissed like a snake before three arrows flew by, one of which pierced through her arm. Water seemed to repair the damage quickly enough though she did show a look of pain. From behind the woman in blue were two younger boys, close to Kaoru's age. They looked similar enough to be siblings but not twins. There was also a girl wearing a blue robe though much younger than the one that sent the blast at the creature suspending Kaoru.

Another arrow flew from one of the brothers that broke the waters hold on Kaoru, sending him falling into the lake. He flailed and splashed as he momentarily forgot how to swim with all the chaos going on. Suddenly, he was being dragged to shore by the other brother. Once on land again he got a good glimpse of the fight beginning as the water girl was now on land. She no longer had legs as they were replaced by a massive tail.

Everything was so challenging to take in all at once, Kaoru was overwhelmed. The robe-clad women were casting magic spells, one of the brothers was firing arrows, and the other retrieved a spear to attack her up close. He was surprisingly nimble, dodging slashes from sharp nails and the monster girl trying to swash him with her tail. The onslaught was too much for the strange girl, and one blast finally had her crumble to the ground, defeated.

"You can't do this you witch!" she coughed.

"Oh but I can, now return to the depths of the river where you belong."

She drew some kind of symbol in the air with the tip of her staff, and like that the monster girl was encased in violet light and flung back into the lake where she couldn't cause any more chaos.

"Phew! Glad that's over." One brother said.

"You done her up real good M'am!"

"Thank you boys, you're both getting much better with your weapon skills, I must say. And you too, Janine." The younger girl looked wide-eyed. "You stayed calm, you'll need that."

"Yes, Madame Josephine! Thank you!"

Kaoru looked exhausted, barely able to stand after everything happened.

"Gosh, you don't look too good."

"C'mmon Cam, let's take him back to Ma."

The boys got Kaoru's arms over their shoulders and proceeded to guide the twin back to the village.

"Don't worry now, ya hear? We'll take mighty fine care of ya."

"What's going on?" Kaoru muttered.

"We don't have all yer answers, but when we get back we'll tell you whut we know."

* * *

**This chapter went through a LOT of revisions on what exactly was going to happen. Honestly, going into it, I didn't really know what was going to happen anyway. Josephine and Janine were both sudden additions to the cast and the whole running away thing was a last minute addition to give Kaoru more of an idea what world he's in. I don't really think either of the farm brothers would be good enough to explain without some kind of experience to fuel the knowledge.**

**That combined with me working on my original novel draft and work have made this longer than it needed to be, but I hope the final product is worth the wait.**


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